Drier



June12, 1934. R. s. KENT 1,962,643

DRIER Filed June 14, 1953 INVENTOR Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for drying an'mal charcoal or bone-black known as char and used as a decolorizing agent, especially in the process of refining sugar.

" This invention has reference, more particularly, to an improved construction of drier through which char is passed by gravitation and drzed preliminary to delivery to revivifying kilns; and the invention has for its principal object to provide a drier so constructed that the char gravitating therethrough is subjected, throughout its entire mass, to circulating and drying effect of in-passing air.

The invention has for a further object to provide an improved char drier comprising a series of spaced frames, commonly known as A-frames, between which and bordering the sides of the drier are disposed cooperating outer and inner tiers of louvres. I-Ieretofore the inner tiers of 2 louvres in such type of drier were of angular form and were rigidly bolted at their ends to the A- frames, as a consequence of which, when subjected to varying temperature effects, the same were prone to warping stresses and strains involving frequent breakage, which necessitated considerable expense and labor for repairs and replacements, to say nothing of the loss of use of the drier while under repair. The present invention purposes to so improve the arrangement,

' form and mounting of the louvres in connection with the A-frames of the drier, that not only are the same more easily resistant to warping effects and the involved stresses and strains, and consequently less likely to require frequent replacement and repair, but, furthermore, the improved arrangement is such that, where replacement of the louvres and especially the inner louvres is desirable, the same can be easily and quickly done with a minimum expenditure of labor.

This invention has for a further object to provide a drier structure which, as a whole, is more or less elastic, i. e. adapted to yield or compensate itself with respect to tensions and strains due 5 to temperature variations without risk of setting up breaking stresses.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the 5 same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a view of the drier according to this invention shown in vertical transverse section,

with the tiers of louvres omitted at one side thereof; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section, taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1; .Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of an A- frame of the drier, showing the louvre supporting eiements thereof; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but showing a modified means for tying together the A-frames of the drier.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character 5 indicates an A-frame of the drier. A desired number of A-frames 5 are aligned together in longitudinally spaced apart relation. The'A-frames intermediate those at the ends of the drier are provided with central openings 6, which openings are either omitted or closed over in the A-frames at the ends of the drier. Suitably secured to and extending between the upper end portions of the A-frames 5 are centrally disposed inverted V-shaped partitions '7 and outlying wall plates 8 which together provide char receiving hoppers to respectively serve opposite sides of the drier; said hoppers having discharge openings 9 at their lower portions.

The A-frames 5 are secured together in desired spaced apart assembled relation by means of interconnecting longitudinal stretcher members. One form of stretcher arrangement for so interconnecting said A-frames comprises angle irons 10 which extend from frame to frame relative to opposite sides of the drier, and which are secured by rivets, or other suitable fastening: means, to angular anchor lugs 11'; the latter being themselves riveted or otherwise secured to internal vertically spaced lugs 12 which project into the central openings 6 of said A-frames. Analternative of stretcher means for interconnecting, the A-frames in assembled relation is shown in Fig. 4, and comprises tie-bolts 13 adapted to extend longitudinally through the frames from end to end of the drier and relative to opposite sides thereof; spacing sleeves 14 being carried on said tie-bolts to extend between adjacent frames so as to retain the same in proper spaced apart relation.

The interior of the drier forms a flue 15 adapted to receive heat from a suitable source, and preferably from the hot waste products of combustion from the kiln-fires which heats the retorts (not shown) into which the char passes from the drier, in the manner well-known to the art. Preferably, the flue 15 is provided with the usual partition plates 16, which are supported upon and between laterally opposed angle-irons 10 or sleeves 13 as the case may be, to horizontally bridge across the flue from side to side thereof, and so as to compel circuitous or back and forth travel of the heat as it rises through the interior of the drier and until discharged to a stack or chimney-flue to which the drier is'connected, also in the manner well-known to the art.

Formed on the faces of the A-frames, intermediate the outer margins thereof and the margins of their central openings 6, and preferably as an integral part thereof, are substantially vertical ribs 1'7, the same extending downwardly from points below the receiving hoppers to points adjacent the lower discharge end or bottom of the drier. Also formed on the faces of the A-frames, to extend respectively obliquely downward from the outer margins and the margins of said central openings, are outer and inner sets of vertically spaced louvre rests or supporting ledges, respectively designated by the reference characters 18 and 19; the same converging upon opposite sides of said vertical ribs 17. As thus arranged, the ribs 1'? provide bottom stops for operatively positioning opposed outer and inner tiers of removable louvre plates 20 and 21. The louvre plates 20 and 21 are disposed in mutually converging but somewhat staggered relation, whereby a somewhat zig-zag char drying space is provided through which the char delivered from the hoppers may gravitate in a comparatively thin downwardly moving layer or sheet. Since the spaces between the outer louvre plates 20 are fully open to the atmosphere exteriorly of the drier, and the spaces between the inner louvre plates 21 are likewise fully open to the interior flue passages 15 of the drier, it will be obvious that exterior air may pass with a minimum of restriction laterally through the drying space and in direct and complete contact with the entire mass of char flowing downwardly through the passage between the tiers of louvre plates, and consequently the efiiciency of the drying processes is greatly enhanced by such freely permitted air circulation, and the rapid drawing oif of moist vapors emanating from the drying char is more efficiently accomplished, especially as there is no opportunity for the pocketing of gases or moist vapor in angular spaces as was frequently an occurrence where the inner walls of the drier passages comprised corrugate or integral zig-Zag continuous plates, as has heretofore been the practice.

Owing to the fact that there is a considerable temperature drop in the hot products of combustion passing back and forth and upwardly through the flue 15 of the drier, ranging approximately from approximately 760 degrees F. at the lower or receiving end to approximately 400 degrees F. at the upper or discharge end, the drier structure is subjected to very considerable stresses and strains due to inequality of expansion and contraction at different locations. Under such circumstances, where, as in drier structures as heretofore in use, the inner tiers of louvres corrugate wall plates were rigidly secured to the A-frames, such inequalities of stress and strain occurred as would frequently result in undue warping and ultimate breakage of the louvres or wall plates, entailing necessity for discharging the drier, and thereupon involving considerable labor and difficulty in effecting repairs and replacements of dislocated louvres and wall plate sections. Such difliculties are substantially avoided in the structure involved in this invention, since the louvres plates, and especially the inner tiers thereof, are but loosely mounted and supported between the A-frames, and consequently are per se relieved from such stresses and strains, and since the A- frames are interconnected together independently of the louvre plates, the structure as a whole is more elastic, i. e. is capable of give and take under any developing stresses and strains, so that tendency to break down with respect to either the plates or A-frames is very materially reduced. Even in the event of the desirability of replacing any one or more of the inner louvre plates, the operation can be quickly and easily accomplished by a minimum of effort, since each such plate is individually removable and replaceable without necessity for disturbing or dismantling any adjacent plate.

From the above description it will be obvious that an improved and longer lived drier is provided by the instant invention, while at the same time the drier is rendered more efficient for the performance of its functions.

I am aware that some changes could be made in the above described constructions, and that many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:-

A drier of the kind described, comprising a plurality of A-frames, means for securing said A- frames in assembled spaced apart relation, faces of said A-frames having substantially vertical ribs paralleling their outer margins and spaced oblique louvre rests downwardly converging upon opposite sides of said ribs, and inner and outer tiers of louvre plates remoyably supported by said rests to extend between said A-frames thereby forming char drying passages adjacent the sidesof the drier.

ROBERT SAYRE KENT. 

